1 – Corinthians – Introduction

Paul’s Second visit:  (2 Cor.2:1):  Paul’s second visit was a disaster and immediately he had to leave. Some of the church members did not want him to remain in Corinth and called themselves as apostles even.  So he left immediately.

Third letter:  (2 Cor.7:8ff):   After leaving Corinth, Paul sent the third letter through Titus which was very severe and demanding asking the people to deal with the opposition and sinful people.  Titus was a tough man.  He was competent to sort out many problems. This letter is also believed to be lost or it may be (2 Cor. 10-13) or the Holy Spirit did not allow it to exist in the Bible.

In the meantime Paul was facing difficult circumstances in Ephesus (Acts 19).  He went to Troas hoping to hear good news from Corinth from Titus.  But Titus was not there.  He was in Macedonia for the collection of funds. Paul met him there and to his surprise, he heard that the Corinthians were behaving  spiritual maturity and the problems existing in Corinth were solved.

Fourth Letter:  Paul was pleased about the spiritual degree of Corinthians and he sent his fourth letter which is actually (the Second Epistle to Corinthians) which is there in the Bible.  He sent the letter again with Titus.

Third visit: Paul made the 3^rd visit to Corinth  as a happy man to encourage the believers and the leaders.

When Paul was in Ephesus, he received news about troubles in the church at Corinth. This news came from people who were living in Chloe’s house (1 Cor. 1:11)  and from Stephanas, Fortunatus  and Achaicus (1 Cor.6:17).  A letter also came from the Christians in Corinth. They asked for Paul’s advice about various problems. Then  Paul wrote 1 Corinthians.

Paul heard that problems in Corinth were worse. So he made a second visit. There is no record about this. But Paul writes about it when he visited Corinth for the ‘third’ time (2 Cor.12:14; 13:1-2). So there must have been a second visit.